How long can i expect windows XP to be a viable operating system?

I’m on the verge of getting a new PC. I’ve used XP since its release & would just as soon continue to use it (I’ve got a couple of crucial programs that won’t run with anything newer… AutoCad R14 being one of them). I’ve had a chance to work with Windows 8 BRIEFLY & found it to be rather shockingly different to what my XP sensibilities were used to. Does XP have some sort of “termination date” where Microsoft will no longer suppot/update it?

Thanks,
Brian

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3 Responses to How long can i expect windows XP to be a viable operating system?

Windows XP SP3 32bit will end either at product lifecycle end which is 2014 or at 24 months past the release of service pack 4 (if a sp4 is made). If there is a sp4 it will have an additional lifecycle period which will be annouced in the future.

As long as your hardware has XP drivers, and the software you need is XP compatible (most still is), then xp is a viable OS, just because it’s not getting updates doesnt mean it’s useless…that said i personally prefer windows vista or windows 7 since i like using a 64bit OS, and the 64bit version of xp has poor support driver/software wise in comparison to other windows OS’s. I’m not against windows 8, but i like XP better than 8 (not saying i would pick it over 8 since i have some things that dont work well in XP).

Extended support for Windows XP will end April 8, 2014. You have a year.

With all the security issues, etc., of older operating systems, you should probably try to get to something newer if possible. If you have Windows 8 you can install Start8 to get it much closer to what you’re used to, and almost indistinguishable from things like Windows 7 and Vista. Its compatibility mode options would normally work for older XP programs.

I’d browse the web to see what others have done with AutoCad, since your issue would have been encountered by others a long time ago. At the worst you could dual boot into XP just for AutoCad.

The other guys are correct on windows side, but as the Autocad R14 goes, if you upgrade your os you will have to upgrade you Autocad. The only version that I have gotten to work on windows 7 and higher was Autocad 2011. So that being said, if you dont want to do that the only option is the do a dual boot, with windows XP.

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